***Official*** India in England

[Dissector]

37 isn't that old; that was the same age Lara retired and he was playing good cricket till the end. Sachin may or may not be able to last that long but certainly at the moment there is little reason for him to give up ODI's.

Having said that it will probably be a good idea to reduce his load. I think he should be rested for less important ODI series, dead rubbers and the like. Basically something like the Aussie rotation policy. That will also give younger players the chance to get some experience under their belt.

 

[aussie]

If Flintoff is fit will be interesting to to see who England leave out. I personally would love to see Wright open the batting. So Cook would have to go, he has proven he can handle himself in ODI's but Wright looks a natural so i'd go for him.

 

[Dubilog]

I ain't too proud to say that this series has been great!

It's all cricket, one day, twenty20, Test or whatever! When the contest is good the format isn't so important, is it?

 

[silentstriker]

When the contest is good the format isn't so important, is it?

Yes, it is very much important. These games have been exciting as far as ODIs go, but I wouldn't really go ahead and compare these to the excitement from a closely fought test series. IMO its not even remotely close.

 

[Dubilog]

Of course! But that's kinda obvious! But this was a great one day game. Doesn't need to be said that a test could be 'better'.

Just saying...

 

[PhoenixFire]

37 isn't that old; that was the same age Lara retired and he was playing good cricket till the end. Sachin may or may not be able to last that long but certainly at the moment there is little reason for him to give up ODI's.

Having said that it will probably be a good idea to reduce his load. I think he should be rested for less important ODI series, dead rubbers and the like. Basically something like the Aussie rotation policy. That will also give younger players the chance to get some experience under their belt.

Well, Sachin has played international cricket for nearly 17/18 years now, so 34 to him is different to someone who started later.

 

[Nishant]

Yes, it is very much important. These games have been exciting as far as ODIs go, but I wouldn't really go ahead and compare these to the excitement from a closely fought test series. IMO its not even remotely close.

sorry....but the sort of excitement u can get in a one day game in such a short space of time is something u can never can in tests. Tests can be slightly exciting but in that excitement there is never any fun. Even when there is excitement in tests, its usually on the last day or something...towards the climax of the match...what abt the other 4 days...all they are, are sessions of cricket. Plus, the amount of pressure in ODIs, all expereinced in such a small space of time is far greater than the pressure fans or the players wud experience during a test match. To be honest, the ODI series has been far better and fun and exciting than the test series and thats a fact!


BTW.....i was on tv at the last game!!!! Yey...apparently, i was on 3 or 4 times. I was the one who was clapping Tendulkar off when he was dismissed...anyone see me??

 

[silentstriker]

sorry....but the sort of excitement u can get in a one day game in such a short space of time is something u can never can in tests. Tests can be slightly exciting but in that excitement there is never any fun.

I don't think it is physically possible for me to disagree with something more than that.

Even when there is excitement in tests, its usually on the last day or something...towards the climax of the match...what abt the other 4 days...all they are, are sessions of cricket.

The intensity that you need to show in EVERY session of cricket is tremendous. One bad session where you slack off can, and does, cost people games.

Plus, the amount of pressure in ODIs, all expereinced in such a small space of time is far greater than the pressure fans or the players wud experience during a test match.

No ODI in the history of cricket that has ever been played, or will ever be played, will come remotely close to the pressure the players experienced during, for example, the 5th Ashes Test in 2005. Or really, the whole series.

To be honest, the ODI series has been far better and fun and exciting than the test series and thats a fact!

Not a fact, but an opinion. Obviously what you enjoy is up to you, but I hope that it's an opinion that not many fans share (though I'm likely to be disappointed). But I'll guarantee that the players certainly don't share that opinion.

Seriously, who really will remember this ODI series in three months? Remember when we beat SL 6-1 at home? But I'll guarantee you that people remember the Kolkata Test, and the Brisbane test, and they'll remember the England series just like they remembered the 1985 India-England series.

 

[Jono]

You've just committed a sin Nishant.

Clearly the end of ODIs are exciting, and 'more' exciting than say the second session of a test match on day 2. But when you compare the whole thing, its just not even in the same ball park.

For example, the 3rd ODI between England and India will be forgotten in another week, if its not already forgotten. Hell I can't even remember too much about that match atm, other than Tremlett randomly getting Dravid and Ganguly out.

 

[honestbharani]

I agree that should not have happened either, but I don't think the KP incident was anything to do with Collingwood though to be honest.

yeah, but he didn't look too fussed about that at that time. Seemed to me to be a bit of double standard at play there, that's all, which is not the case with you, I guess, because you think both instances were not good.

 

[Dubilog]

I agree, obviously that Tests are the greatest form of the game and I think most of us here will! We must be true cricket fans or we wouldn't write here (I know I am new, but cricket is my passion and all that pretentious crap!)

But there seems to be a bit of snobbery about the shorter forms of the game! All I meant was that the shorter game can still be enjoyed, in all it's pyjama clad glory without any feelings of guilt! As long as the two teams are trying as hard as they are here and the contest is as great as this is, then it's wonderful sport!

Of course, no one will really remember this series. But that doesn't matter! Bring on tomorrow! I'm flaying back to the UK, should I spend the weekend with my family, or bugger off to Lords.........?

 

[Chubby Rain]

But there seems to be a bit of snobbery about the shorter forms of the game! All I meant was that the shorter game can still be enjoyed, in all it's pyjama clad glory without any feelings of guilt! As long as the two teams are trying as hard as they are here and the contest is as great as this is, then it's wonderful sport!

Yeah, I agree about the snobbery that can take over some cricket fans. It reminds me of the overtly defensive homophobic types who feel they must viciously quell any suggestion of them being gay in order to preserve their heterosexuality. There's good and bad in both forms of the game. It is hardly making a point when one compares one of the best test series with a forgetable ODI to try and glorify tests in general. For example, I still remember almost every individual score from the Natwest Final in 2002, but hardly recall anything about the Lords test from the same tour save for Agarkar's century and the match result.

 

[Nishant]

You've just committed a sin Nishant.

Clearly the end of ODIs are exciting, and 'more' exciting than say the second session of a test match on day 2. But when you compare the whole thing, its just not even in the same ball park.

For example, the 3rd ODI between England and India will be forgotten in another week, if its not already forgotten. Hell I can't even remember too much about that match atm, other than Tremlett randomly getting Dravid and Ganguly out.

i guess i didnt put it well TBH....im not saying thats tests are bad...obviously I, myself find test matches exciting and love the mind games that are played between players over a long period(i think ive mentioned that many times)....BUT...i was only trying to compare the test series bt India and england and the current ODI series....not all tests vs all ODIs...reading over my post again, i can see why u made that assumption.....

BUT...i wouldnt go as far as SS and say ODIs are crap....i truely believe that they too require skill and should be part of cricket...

 

[Nishant]

I agree, obviously that Tests are the greatest form of the game and I think most of us here will! We must be true cricket fans or we wouldn't write here (I know I am new, but cricket is my passion and all that pretentious crap!)

But there seems to be a bit of snobbery about the shorter forms of the game! All I meant was that the shorter game can still be enjoyed, in all it's pyjama clad glory without any feelings of guilt! As long as the two teams are trying as hard as they are here and the contest is as great as this is, then it's wonderful sport!

Of course, no one will really remember this series. But that doesn't matter! Bring on tomorrow! I'm flaying back to the UK, should I spend the weekend with my family, or bugger off to Lords.........?

i doubt ull get a ticket 4 lords TBH....but if u do.....GO TO LORDS!!!!!!!























(fine....family is important.....SOLUTION: go to lords with family!!!!!!...problem solved!)

 

[pup11]

Is Freddie gonna play in tomorrow's game and even if he is fit to play then who would he replace, i think England should drop that good for nothing Matthew Prior and make someone Cook or Bell keep the stumps believe me they won't be any worse than Prior.

 

[Dubilog]

Tempting....

 

[wpdavid]

Is Freddie gonna play in tomorrow's game and even if he is fit to play then who would he replace, i think England should drop that good for nothing Matthew Prior and make someone Cook or Bell keep the stumps believe me they won't be any worse than Prior.

You could make a case for dropping Cook, whose runs have almost completely dried up, and moving Wright into the top 3, where he plays for his county. If Fred's fit, he would bat at 7. You could also make a case for replacing Panesar with Lewis, as long as Broad still opened the bowling.

 

[Nate]

Why drop Panesar? I could be wrong, but every time I've watched he's been the one player who India have not been able to get after with any ease, keeping it at around 5-an-over which in these matches has been a blessing.

 

[Prince EWS]

Is Freddie gonna play in tomorrow's game and even if he is fit to play then who would he replace, i think England should drop that good for nothing Matthew Prior and make someone Cook or Bell keep the stumps believe me they won't be any worse than Prior.

Cook has kept at List A level, but would you really want to add that extra burdon to a player still finding his feet at ODI level? Not in a million years IMO. I also don't think changing a key position such as the wicket keeper is such a good idea in the last match of the summer, either - they've picked Prior for the series, I'd like to see them go through with that, and not just because I like Prior. If he fails again, he should get the axe for the one day squad to Sri Lanka IMO, although the Twenty20 Championship will probably have a say whether I like it or not.

I've been thinking about the England wicket keeping issue in the last few days, and I think it's time they realise they don't have a good keeper-batsman to bat in the top 7 and keep well - in either form. They need to change the balance of their side IMO, and stop expecting so many runs from the keeper. I really don't like Chris Read at all - I think his keeping is over-rated and his batting is extremely dire, but he's the best English keeper I've seen and, even if his batting is nowhere near #7 standard, it's good enough for #8 which is the balance they should be looking for at full strength. The problem lies with Flintoff - he doesn't play every game, so if he got injured, England would have to change the balance by bringing in Prior as the batsman-keeper to replace Flintoff with a bowler. This really wouldn't be fair to Prior or Read as they'd basically be selected based on the availability of someone else in the squad rather than their own performances against each other. It's a tricky one.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Why drop Panesar? I could be wrong, but every time I've watched he's been the one player who India have not been able to get after with any ease, keeping it at around 5-an-over which in these matches has been a blessing.

Nah, he's been very ordinary this series.